Mr K H Yeung, Assistant Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, took part in an expert mission to Mayanmar and Pakistan on 9 - 15 June 2005 in connection with the establishment of a tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean. He served as an expert representing the World Meteorological Organization, with other members of the expert team coming from the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Science and Cultural Organization, the United Nation International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, the Asian Disaster Reduction Centre and the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The expert team spent three days in each of the two countries to assess their capability and requirements in establishing an effective and durable national tsunami warning and mitigation system, as part of the tsunami warning system for the Indian Ocean. The team met with the senior management of many government agencies and non-governmental organizations in these countries to discuss, assess and make recommendations on the enhancement of their capability for tsunami monitoring, prediction, warning, risk assessment, mitigation and preparedness.

This mission is one of a series of similar missions to 16 countries around the Indian Ocean that require international assistance. The setting up of an effective and durable tsunami warning and mitigation system has become an important task for their governments after the disastrous tsunami on 26 December 2004. In most of these countries, the National Meteorological Service is the designated authority for issuing tsunami warnings. The World Meteorological Organization is actively assisting those National Meteorological Services in need to build up their capacity in exchanging tsunami related information internationally and to disseminate warnings within their countries in a timely and effective manner.

The expert team in action in Myanmar - Mr K. H. Yeung asking a question.

The Expert team meeting the senior management of national agencies and non-governmental organizations in Pakistan.